On Thursday evening, Jan. 26, the North Carolina Symphony joined in the celebration, as guest conductor and solo violinist Joseph Silverstein led this exciting ensemble in an all-Mozart program. Silverstein has performed as both conductor and soloist with over 100 orchestras worldwide. We were fortunate that he added the NCS to the list.
The first half of the program was all violin and orchestra. Two short pieces, “Adagio in E, K 261” and “Rondo in C, K 373” were followed by “Violin Concerto no. 4 in D Major, K 218.” Mozart was taught violin by his father Leopold. Although he played the instrument flawlessly, he seemed to tire of it early and much preferred the clavier for which he composed prolifically. Later when he played a string instrument, it was the viola.
Silverstein’s exquisite playing demonstrated why we can be truly grateful for Mozart’s violin compositions. Playing the “Adagio,” Silverstein produced on his 1742 Guarnieri the sweetest, purest sounds imaginable. Some may recall that we heard this piece on the cello last season at which time I stated my strong preference for it on the violin. Silverstein’s playing reinforced my feeling.
The “Rondo in C, K 363,” gave Silverstein another opportunity to display his virtuosity. His beautifully intricate bowing of this faster tempo piece was a pleasure to hear and see.
Mozart was all of 19 when he wrote his five violin concertos. There are dozens of recordings of these works, many with outstanding conductors and great violinists coming together. Thus it was doubly impressive to hear a first-rate performance of Concerto No. 4 with Silverstein as conductor and soloist. He appeared to enjoy this music immensely as he conducted and played with warmth, clarity and precision. All the while the orchestra supported the soloist with their rich, lush string sounds. The audience at intermission had Mozart-happy faces.
Following intermission, Silverstein traded the violin for a baton and continued with the delightful music of the Salzburg Wunderkind. We heard two symphonies — one early and one midway in Mozart’s composing career. Hearing one immediately after the other showed the wonderful progression of Mozart as a composer.
The first was “Symphony No. 22 in C major, K 162,” which Mozart composed roughly two years before the violin concertos. This would have made him 17 years old. What we heard sounded a bit thin and very basic, appearing to require little effort from either the conductor or the orchestra. But the performance showed effectively the work of the young Mozart. It is an interesting piece that allowed the audience to experience a good composer on his way to becoming a great one.
The final work of the evening was also in C major, “Symphony No. 36, K 425 (Linz).” The “Linz” dates about 10 years after No. 22, and stories abound about how newlywed Wolfgang composed it in three or four days. To me, it sounds in many respects like a Haydn symphony, but Haydn’s much higher numbered ones (he wrote 104). “Masterpiece” is used to describe this work, as it’s considered easily his best of the form to that point.
I felt strongly that playing Mozart on the violin surely gives Silverstein as conductor a special feel for Mozart’s music. Thus he took the NCS expertly through the “Linz.” Compared with the previous piece, the identically configured orchestra suddenly sounded rich and full, and the conductor was more animated, more “into” the requirements of this more complex, demanding and interesting work. Every movement sounded fresh and pure with crisp rhythms and elegant phrasing.
For the two symphonies, the orchestra was substantially larger than for the violin pieces, with additional strings, several pairs of woodwinds, horns and trumpets, and timpani. They all came together beautifully under the leadership and eloquent interpretation of Silverstein.
Given the warm and positive reaction of the audience, I would call this concert a fitting tribute to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on the 250th anniversary of his birth.
Don DeLauterer is a retired USAF brigadier general and classical music enthusiast living in Whispering Pines.
